This is the first of a series of posts about ‘Satellite Shops’ in Tokyo. These are basically shops that sell produce from a specific prefecture in order to promote tourism in these areas and the food and drink that these different regions make. This is of interest to us, because these shops often include craft beer in their products, so it is a good way of getting hold of beer from far away parts of Japan. The depth of selection varies from shop to shop. Some carry only a single (possibly uninteresting) beer and I won’t include these to start with. Others have a few breweries regular line up of beers. Some even had seasonals.
I will try my best to group them in posts by shop location (rather than geographical location of the prefecture), and will mention the breweries available and prices. These posts are not intended as a recommendation of places you have to check out as they are after all pretty much just tourism information centres that happen to sell food and drink, but more as a guide if you are looking for a particular brewery’s beers. That’s why I am not going into as much depth as I have on other posts. In any case, I hope this is of some use for you. Also if anyone finds any of these shops that I haven’t yet featured, please get in contact as I would like to put as many relevant ones on here as possible. Thanks.
Akita – Akita Furusato Kan
Pretty good example of one of these shops to start with as it had beers from three different breweries. There were five regulars from Aqula all priced at ¥525, four from Tazawako at ¥498 and four from Kohan No Mori at ¥525. There are a few other Satellite shops in the same arcade but the others weren’t so good. Some may be added at a later date.
Opening hours
10.00-19.00 daily
Location/Map
東京交通会館1F,有楽町 2-10-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006
Directions
From Yurakucho metro station, take exit D8 which will put you in the arcade. The Akita shop is at the other end though, on the first floor. If you walk round outside, there is a big OOII which is at the correct end of the building and the shop is just inside the door. I have placed the pin in broadly the right place on the map, so click the link above if you are having trouble finding it.
Okinawa – Washita
Three different breweries here too. Two different Helios cans (¥241 and ¥350), two bottles from Nihede (¥525) and four different bottles from Ishigakijima (¥498). Don’t see the last two breweries around much either.
Opening hours
11.00-19.30 daily
Location/Map
マルイト銀座ビル1F, 銀座 1-3-9, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006
Directions
From Ginza Itchome metro station, take exit 3. Washita is next to exit 3 when you get to street level.
Ibaraki Marche
A big selection of Ibaraki’s most famous brewery’s beers here, eight bottles from Hitachino Nest including some that you don’t see around so often. They also had gift packs with glasses. Regular sized bottles ranged from ¥389-¥420. The larger Nipponia bottle was ¥788. There were also four Yamizomorino bottles, all for ¥525. These seem to be from a brewery called Daigo, but I have never heard of it or seen it around. Worth investigating.
Opening hours
10.30-20.00 daily
Location/Map
紺屋ビル1F, 銀座 1-2-1, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Directions
From Ginza Itchome metro station, again take exit 3. Go past Washita and Ibaraki Marche is on the right hand side under the bridge. The pin on the map makes it look like it is on the motorway. It isn’t.